City pledging fast relief despite wait on grants

City, county, state, non-profit join forces to bring relief

Published: Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 5:38 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 5:38 p.m.

The cost to bring clean water to Dana homes with contaminated wells rose to $953,000 — more than 50 percent higher than the original estimate — after another home was added to the project last week.

City, county, state and nonprofit officials have identified funds and applied for grants to cover the cost of the project, but the city of Hendersonville plans to expedite relief, regardless of the grant awards. The city plans to bid the project in September and start construction on the waterline extension as early as this fall.

"This is a public health risk," said City Manager John Connet. "We're going to get it (a line) in the ground as soon as we can."

The city plans to extend its current waterline down Meadow Woods Drive off Blue House Road, down Academy Road to affected homes in the East Hill Drive area, and to a new home showing contaminants on Ridge Road just past Academy Road. No additional homes are expected to be tested.

"We have a lot of partners in this project working really hard to make this happen," Connet said.

The project engineers, Municipal Engineering Services Co., helped identify potential funding sources for the project and discovered there may be an opportunity to receive a critical needs grant from the Department of Commerce.

Mayor Barbara Volk sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker requesting assistance in expediting this grant, Connet said. "We are also working with Rep. Chuck McGrady's and state Sen. Tom Apodoca's offices to provide safe drinking water to this area."

Henderson County Commissioners pledged to do whatever they could March 20 to help Dana residents, approving an application for a $300,000 grant from the Rural Center's Clean Water Infrastructure Program. They were awarded the full grant last month.

Officials from the Asheville Regional Office of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources helped find funding for the project, such as the Bernard Allen Memorial Emergency Drinking Water fund.

Gallons of clean water have been provided to affected homes through the relief effort. The fund is expected to cover either $180,000 or one-third of the relief's cost, whichever is the lesser amount.

The city also applied for a $100,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission after an April pre-qualification.

Hendersonville's Environmental & Conservation Organization is "helping to go out and get surveys needed for the Department of Commerce" grant, Connet said.

ECO is also helping the city solicit survey responses from residents to know exactly where future water meters should be located.

The city has started obtaining the necessary environmental permits for the project to ward off any future delays, said Utilities Director Lee Smith.

<p>The cost to bring clean water to Dana homes with contaminated wells rose to $953,000 — more than 50 percent higher than the original estimate — after another home was added to the project last week.</p><p>City, county, state and nonprofit officials have identified funds and applied for grants to cover the cost of the project, but the city of Hendersonville plans to expedite relief, regardless of the grant awards. The city plans to bid the project in September and start construction on the waterline extension as early as this fall.</p><p>"This is a public health risk," said City Manager John Connet. "We're going to get it (a line) in the ground as soon as we can."</p><p>The city plans to extend its current waterline down Meadow Woods Drive off Blue House Road, down Academy Road to affected homes in the East Hill Drive area, and to a new home showing contaminants on Ridge Road just past Academy Road. No additional homes are expected to be tested.</p><p>"We have a lot of partners in this project working really hard to make this happen," Connet said.</p><p>The project engineers, Municipal Engineering Services Co., helped identify potential funding sources for the project and discovered there may be an opportunity to receive a critical needs grant from the Department of Commerce. </p><p>Mayor Barbara Volk sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker requesting assistance in expediting this grant, Connet said. "We are also working with Rep. Chuck McGrady's and state Sen. Tom Apodoca's offices to provide safe drinking water to this area."</p><p>Henderson County Commissioners pledged to do whatever they could March 20 to help Dana residents, approving an application for a $300,000 grant from the Rural Center's Clean Water Infrastructure Program. They were awarded the full grant last month.</p><p>Officials from the Asheville Regional Office of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources helped find funding for the project, such as the Bernard Allen Memorial Emergency Drinking Water fund.</p><p>Gallons of clean water have been provided to affected homes through the relief effort. The fund is expected to cover either $180,000 or one-third of the relief's cost, whichever is the lesser amount. </p><p>The city also applied for a $100,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission after an April pre-qualification. </p><p>Hendersonville's Environmental & Conservation Organization is "helping to go out and get surveys needed for the Department of Commerce" grant, Connet said. </p><p>ECO is also helping the city solicit survey responses from residents to know exactly where future water meters should be located.</p><p>The city has started obtaining the necessary environmental permits for the project to ward off any future delays, said Utilities Director Lee Smith.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>